January 2018 Ward Meeting Minutes


Councillor Ridley welcomed all attendees to the Ward meeting, outlining that the main area of focus tonight would be
surrounding the opioid crisis and how London is managing this crisis. Prior to the main area of focus for the meeting,
Councillor Ridley surveyed the attendees to see if there were any general questions that could be addressed.
Please see minutes of the meeting below.

Question: What is the status of the Byron Gravel Pit?
Answer: The pit is currently being reviewed to determine the most appropriate
future land uses for the site. Residents are encouraged to submit their comments,
questions, or concerns to staff. More information, as well as staff contact, can be
found on the city website - http://www.london.ca/business/PlanningDevelopment/secondary-plans/Pages/SE-Byron-Secondary-Plan.aspx.

Question: What is the status of the Commissioners Rd W realignment?
Answer: There is currently an Environmental Assessment (EA) taking place. The EA
study will identify and evaluate different alternative designs, and will also consider
the environmental, socio-economic and cultural factors as the basis for this
assessment. Residents are encouraged to submit their comments, questions, or
concerns to staff. More information, as well as staff contact, can be found on the
city website
- http://www.london.ca/residents/Environment/EAs/Pages/Commissioners-RoadWest-Realignment.aspx.

Question: Why is a sidewalk being installed on Commissioners Rd W when the
realignment is pending – waste of taxpayers’ money?
Answer: Currently we do have needs for a sidewalk along Commissioners Rd W,
making it safer for the residents to walk to the bus stop at Cranbrook. In the longer
term, the alignment of Commissioners Rd between Cranbrook and Springbank Drive
will change, but we do not anticipate the change to affect the sidewalk by much.
This change in alignment will be several years away, and the new sidewalk is needed
for current residents.
Question: During the fall, it looked like there was equipment on Commissioners Rd
W by Snake Hill that was counting traffic. Can you confirm what this was and why?
Answer: There is currently an Environmental Assessment (EA) underway for the
Commissioners Rd W realignment project. Many studies were conducted in the fall
for this project, and while we cannot confirm what study was taking place, it was
very likely related to this EA.
Question: What is Gateway Casino planning and where are they in the process?
Answer: During the December 12, 2017 Council meeting, Gateway Casinos had a
presentation for Council which outlined their growth strategy, highlighted successes
within other municipalities, ways that the Casino has been involved with charitable
organizations, the proposed development and what it may look like. At this time,
the presentation was received and Council requested Civic Administration to look
into options to gather public input as well as to report back on steps required to be
taken to expand the current casino and gaming site.

Question: Are all the Red Light Cameras (RLC) installed, and is the City over budget?
Answer: All but two cameras are installed, as these are in areas where construction
was taking place. Once construction has completed the cameras will be installed.
Installation did not exceed the budget.
Question: When will speed radar be installed in school zones?
Answer: This is a topic that may be greater than Municipalities, resulting in higher
level of government assistance. The City of London has adopted the Vision Zero
Road Safety Strategy, which is a global movement dedicated to the elimination of
traffic deaths and injuries. Information about the Vision Zero movement can be
found on the city website - http://www.london.ca/residents/RoadsTransportation/Road-Safety/Pages/London-Road-Safety-Strategy.aspx.

Currently, the City of London is able to install temporary PEEP Boards, which display
the speed vehicles are travelling at, and are intended to be an educational tool.
Additionally, the London Police Traffic Unit are able to assist with enforcement of
the speed limit upon request and as their schedule allows.
Question: What was the decision of the Springbank Dam and what is happening
Answer: The decision, made at Council on January 16, was to decommission the
dam – the river will be free flowing and not dammed. Next steps as to what to do
with the dam are still being determined.
Question: There is increasing and ongoing inappropriate behaviour within parks
and the parking lots. This could include use of the park after hours, drug use or drug
deals, bush parties, and sometimes homeless persons making camp. What is being
done to reduce and eliminate these behaviours?
Answer: Whenever residents witness suspicious or illegal activity, I strongly
encourage you to report this to the London Police. While the Police may not show
up on site right away, the information is tracked for future patrols should there be
an increase of criminal activity. Please visit this page to find contact information to
report activities.
Homelessness is a City wide issue and not restricted to one area or park. When
residents witness others making camp in the bushes, please connect with the
Environmental Services staff at es@london.ca. These staff will ensure the
appropriate service area is made aware to action as appropriate. Please note, there
are instances when a homeless person may have mental health concerns and
therefore a soft approach could be required to remove and relocate these
person(s), which could take a few days.


Shaya Dhinsa,
Manager and Health
Unit Lead for the
Opioid Crisis

Question: What is the cost for the Naloxone kits, do they expire, and how are they
Answer: Kits expire after 2 years. However, if someone has an expired kit and are in
an emergency situation, they are encouraged to use it. While the dose may not be
as effective, it could still be lifesaving. If the expiry date is approaching, the kit can
be brought to the Health Unit to exchange for a new one. This returned kit is not
redistributed (due to safety concerns). Kits are available for pick up at the Health
Unit and are free of charge.
Question: Are there statistics of persons who have overdosed, one time or multiple
times, and how are these ‘repeat offenders’ managed?
Answer: There are statistics about number of opioid related deaths, number of
emergency department visits, opioid related hospitalizations, and number of
naloxone kits distributed and reversals. Please see the following site for more
detailed data https://www.healthunit.com/opioids-middlesex-london.
“Repeat offenders” are treated the same as all clients and if they need another kit
they will be supplied with another kit and education about different services, i.e.
addiction, mental health, that are available. It may take several overdoses before
someone would like to seek help.

Question: Have EMS seen an increase of work demands with the growing overdose
Answer: Not all overdose cases are called in and reported, so it is difficult to
provide hard facts in this regard. However, hospitals do keep record of the number
of patients that have received care for overdose. No personal information is shared
between the hospital and the health unit, therefore it cannot be determined how
many of the overdose patients are receiving care multiple times.
The attached was presented during the meeting. Please review the slides for more
information about how London is managing the opioid crisis.

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